For nearly 20 years, one of my most prized possessions was the autographed Kevin Spacey poster of “The Iceman Cometh” which adorned my office wall. It was one of the first things my students would see as they entered my office. Several would inquire about the poster which would lead to me striking up a […]

Every large tragedy that has befallen the world since 9/11 has hit me hard. I’m an empathetic person and the suffering of others, be it person or animal, sinks deep into my core and rests there awhile. But becoming a parent makes it different. So very different. Instead of seeing pain and sadness from a […]

Recently, I read about a department store chain changing the name of their “plus-size” clothing line to “Fabulously Sized.” I just had to shake my head and roll my eyes. Why? Why do you have to come up with another name? I wear plus-sized clothing (according to all the sizing charts), BUT, it’s just a size. I understand the need […]

We know you know what we are talking about… those often incoherent ramblings that go on inside our heads as we do our best to keep ourselves and our families functioning with some semblance of looking like we know what we are doing. We ALL have these conversations with ourselves… but this is your glimpse inside […]

What do you do for a living? Do you enjoy it? I had my kids young, so I don’t have a career to go back to. Unless shuttling kids and picking up the same toys 15 trillion times counts as a career with an actual check, I am more than ready to move on. I […]

I failed so badly today. So, I yelled at my daughter tonight. What’s new, right? But this time, I really yelled. It wasn’t fair to her, I see that now, but I couldn’t help it. I didn’t yell at her because she left her uniform in a heap on the floor again. Or because she […]

For Mother’s Day this year, my husband gave me tickets to see a play about the life of Erma Bombeck. If you are unfamiliar with her, here is a short bio: Humorist, writer, columnist and journalist Erma Bombeck found the humor in the everyday experiences of being a wife and mother and shared it with […]

Dear 20-year-old Me, It took you a lot of guts to go out to lunch alone today. Your classmates are busy, your friends are in class or sleeping off a bender from this weekend, and your boyfriend is working. But you really wanted to get out of your small, wood-paneled, one-bedroom apartment, so here you […]

When I tell people my oldest is a picky eater, I usually get one of three responses. The other parent tries to relate, telling me about their “picky eater”, who really is not, compared to mine, I promise. Out come the well-meaning suggestions. “Have you tried….” Insert your ending of choice here, the answer is […]

If you have a kid that’s not of babysitting or working age, you’ve probably heard these words: “Mommy, I want to get you a birthday present. Can you give me some money to buy it?” Why would I want to spend my own money for my kid to give me something that will probably end […]